Census!
Just wanted to shout out an opportunity for patrons to join in two Census Info Sessions Evergreen Park Public Library is hosting for the public via Zoom. There are two dates:
Facebook event - https://www.facebook.com/events/688244995360685/
June 23 session - https://evergreenparklibrary.librarymarket.com/events/census-info-session
June 29 session - https://evergreenparklibrary.librarymarket.com/events/census-info-session-ii
The books: www.wecountkids.org/ebooks
Free with promo code: Download
You can read all 15 versions of WE COUNT! in book-like (and adorable) story books online, or download the PDF. Feel free to share the address with teachers, partners and families. If you want to embed the books on your OWN website or social media it is not hard to do - give us a holler and we are happy to help!
Activities: www.wecountkids.org/we-count-pdfs
Free with promo code: Download
Kids can color their own WE COUNT! book if you share the link with families. Want to embed it in your site? Want us to print and ship copies to you? Call! We are happy to help!
Teacher's/Parent's Guide
www.wecountkids.org/we-count-pdfs
These early numeracy activities need teacher/parent guidance.
Exciting News for Harry Potter fans!
J.K. Rowling announced on May 26th that she is joining children’s book authors the world over in helping out parents eager to entertain their children locked down at home during the current closing of schools and summer camps during the novel coronavirus pandemic. Rowling is releasing the first two installments of an online serialization of a fairy tale that she wrote more than 10 years ago called The Ickabog. The first installments went live at 10 AM Eastern time.
The Ickabog, Rowling wrote on a blog about its origins, “is a story about truth and the abuse of power.” A vocal critic of right-wing U.K. and U.S. politicians and their repressive policies, Rowling adds, “To forestall one obvious question: the idea came to me well over a decade ago, so it isn’t intended to be read as a response to anything that’s happening in the world right now. The themes are timeless and could apply to any era or any country.”
At least one chapter and up to three of its 34 chapters, Rowling says, will be posted every weekday from May 26th through July 10th on a dedicated website, www.theickabog.com. The series is free to readers.
Coronavirus: A Book for Children by Elizabeth Jenner and Kate Wilson and Nia Roberts (text) & Axel Scheffler
Pre K-Gr 6 A diverse cast, a global stage, practical and expert advice, along with friendly, accessible illustrations by Scheffler make this free digital download a must-have in the home or collection of everyone on the planet. In an NHS-endorsed project, Jenner, Wilson, and Roberts start with what we know right now about this virus, why it matters, how it is spread, what children can do, and how they can help. This part is a revelation, with everything from being kind to siblings also stuck at home, understanding that parents may not be available if they are working from home, that isolation is necessary, and that it may come with sadness and worry. Then the authors offer advice for what a child can do with this fear. This is a generous, straightforward, and necessary text; by showing people of all races, every age, all abilities or challenges, Scheffler’s cartoons, replete with asides in speech bubbles, smooth the facts and underscore the message that we can get through this.
An elegant, effective work. Download this now, read it immediately, share it with everyone you know. An educated citizenry is our best hope.
https://www.newsbank.com/2020-summer-reading-resource-center
In case anyone is thinking about making their own masks:
https://youtu.be/hFLIhGYDQA4
The STAR Library Network (STAR Net) is a hands-on learning network for libraries and their communities across the country. STAR Net focuses on helping library professionals build their STEM skills by providing “science-technology activities and resources” (STAR) and training to use those resources. Plus, engage public audiences nationwide in informal and lifelong learning with the excitement of exploration and discovery through STAR Net's NASA@ My Library program!
STAR Net is built upon a strong network of collaborators and partners, led by the Space Science Institute’s (SSI) National Center for Interactive Learning (NCIL). Partners include the American Library Association’s Public Programs Office, Collaborative Summer Library Program, Chief officers of State Library Agencies, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Afterschool Alliance, Education Development Center, American Society of Civil Engineers, and Cornerstones of Science. Major funding is provided by the National Science Foundation, NASA Science Mission Directorate, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Below is a set of resources that can be provided directly to families without the need of facilitation by library staff.
Activity: Water Pollution Clean Up
Civil engineers are very concerned about water quality. They devise systems for taking water from rivers, underground reservoirs, and even the ocean to provide water for drinking, irrigation, and flushing toilets. They also figure out how to clean the water after it’s been used so people and animals downstream have safe water to drink and use.
Learn how to design a water filter to remove pollutants. Watch Video >>
View/Download This Activity
Video: Water Wishes - Engineering for Those in Need
This video demonstrates how engineers can improve the lives of those in need. This short video highlights the work of Engineers Without Borders USA. Take a look at the work they are doing in Peru to provide community access to drinkable water.
Watch the Video
Digital App: Fly to Mars
We can only send spacecraft to Mars every two years. Have you ever wondered why? This simple simulation lets you launch a spacecraft from Earth to Mars. All you have to do is decide when to launch and we take care of the amount and direction of thrust. Easy, right?
Available on smartphones and tablets!
Download the Digital App
Play the Game on the Web
Use these featured resources to faciliate hands-on STEAM activities (using common household materials) for your patrons at home.
Virtual Program: Stellarium
Stellarium is a free and open source online planetarium that can be used for virtual night sky programs. It shows a realistic sky in 3D, just like what you see with the naked eye, binoculars or a telescope.
View This Virtual Program
Let NASA bring the universe into your home.
Podcast: Rendezvous with Mars
“Houston We Have a Podcast” is the official podcast of the NASA Johnson Space Center from Houston, Texas, home for NASA’s astronauts and Mission Control Center.
In this episode (151), Patrick Chai, aerospace engineer at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Virginia, covers the challenges and needs for getting humans to Mars and the options for propulsion, duration, time, and staging.
Listen to the Podcast
Smithsonian Online Puzzles
All of these images are freely available through our Image Gallery, Digital Library or Biodiversity Heritage Library. Feel free to explore, download other images and maybe make your own boredom buster!
“The Lilac” from Eugene Grasset’s La plante et ses applications ornementales (1896).
A stunner of a book, Grasset’s design patterns focus on plants and flowers. It was intended to promote the Art Nouveau style.
Play online: https://jigex.com/CsBd
“The Lilac” from Eugene Grasset’s La plante et ses applications ornementales (1896).“The Koodoo” from Samuel Daniell’s African Scenery and Animals, 1804-05.
The kudu is a type of spiral-horned antelope. It’s one of many species (some now extinct) featured in African scenery and animals (1804-05), available in the Biodiversity Heritage Library. These hand-colored aquatint plates present artwork by Samuel Daniell, produced during an expedition to Africa at the end of the eighteenth century.
Play online: https://jigex.com/HzPd
“The Koodoo” from Samuel Daniell’s African Scenery and Animals, 1804-05.“Pour rêver un peu” from La guirlande, fasc (1919).
The title of this illustration says it all – “To dream a little”. It was published in 1919 in the French literary and art journal, La guirlande. The publication’s art director was Italian artist Umberto Brunelleschi, known for his book and fashion illustrations.
Play online: https://jigex.com/6N8V
“Pour rêver un peu” from La guirlande, fasc (1919).Cover from Aéroplane captif (1909).
Aéroplane captif is one of hundreds of pieces of aeronautical-themed sheet music collected by Bella C. Landauer (1874–1960). Landauer took an interest in aviation when her son became a pilot and scoured music shops to amass her collection. She’s one of many collectors featured in our exhibition, Magnificent Obessions: Why We Collect.
Play online: https://jigex.com/4E1R
Cover from Aéroplane captif (1909). Gift of Bella C. Landauer.“Smithsonian Institution, from the North East” from Robert Dale Owen’s Hints on public architecture . . . (1849).
This charming drawing of men and women strolling on the paths on the Mall in front of the Smithsonian Institution Building (The Castle) is from Robert Dale Owen’s 1849 publication, Hints on public architecture, containing, among other illustrations, views and plans of the Smithsonian institution. Owen was a Smithsonian regent and the head of the Building Committee. The exterior of the building wasn’t actually completed until 1851.
Play online: https://jigex.com/Vggy
“Smithsonian Institution, from the North East” from Robert Dale Owen’s Hints on public architecture . . . (1849).Front cover from John Lewis Childs’ New, rare & beautiful flowers, (1890).
John Lewis Childs was born on May 13, 1856. He acquired a few acres and set up his business as a seedsman and florist at age eighteen, after one year as a florist’s helper on Long Island. His operation was based in Floral Park, New York, which was often featured in his catalogs. The Smithsonian Libraries holds more than 10,000 seed and nursery catalogs dating from 1830 to the present.
Play online: https://jigex.com/6Bzy
Front cover from John Lewis Childs’ New, rare & beautiful flowers, (1890).Categories:Art and Design Biodiversity Heritage Library Collection Highlights Education and Outreach History and Culture
Statement Against Racism
Libraries are committed to following the values of our profession as set forth by American Library Association (ALA). These values include equity, diversity and inclusion, social responsibility, and lifelong learning. At this moment in history, Morrison & Mary Wiley Library follows the example of the ALA and the Illinois Library Association in declaring that we stand against racism and systemic injustice in all forms. In the words of the ALA, “Wherever it resides, racism leads to degradation. It weakens our institutions and destroys our communities and is one of the greatest obstacles to the American Library Association’s mission ‘to enhance learning and ensure access to information to all.’”
Morrison & Mary Wiley Library is committed to creating a library environment where all are welcome and treated with dignity and respect. We endeavor to provide educational resources to assist members of our community of all ages to learn about the realities of racism and injustice and to build a library collection that reflects the diversity of human experience. We pledge to engage in ongoing self-examination to ensure that bias and discrimination have no place in the practices, policies or procedures of this institution. In doing so, we aspire to do our part to eradicate racism from society and create a more just world. We believe in learning and education, creating a welcoming environment to meet the needs of our community. Information is essential for fostering change and acceptance. To that end, we have compiled a list of books and movies that are available at our library to support conversations on race, racism and resistance. There are many more and we ask that if you have read or watched one that is not on the list that you let us know.
Where's Rodney? Bogan, Carmen (Juv.)
Freedom Soup Charles, Tami (Juv.)
Grandpa's corner store DiSalvo, DyAnne (Juv.)
Who Was Ida B. Wells? Fabiny, Sarah (Juv.) (Ordered)
Hip hop speaks to children: a celebration of poetry with a beat Giovanni, Nikki (Juv.)
Rosa Giovanni, Nikki (Juv. Bio.)
My people Hughes, Langston (Juv.)
Fry bread: a Native American family story Maillard, Kevin Noble (Juv.)
Alma and How She Got Her Name Martinez-Neal, Juana (Juv.)
Blue Sky White Stars or: Naberhaus, Sarvinder (Juv.)
Sulwe Nyong'o, Lupita (Juv.)
Little Libraries, Big Heroes Paul, Miranda (Juv.)
Hiking Day Rockwell, Anne (Juv.)
Who Were the Tuskegee Airmen? Smith, Sherri L. (Juv. NF)
Just Ask! Be Different Be Brave Be You Sotomayor, Sonia (Juv.)
Henry's freedom box Levine, Ellen (Juv.)
Any book by Acevedo, Elizabeth (Youth)
Alexander, Kwame-anything he has written (Youth)
Forge & Chains Anderson, Laurie Halse (Youth)
The epic fail of Arturo Zamora Cartaya, Pablo
New Kid Craft, Jerry
Jazz Owls: A Novel of the Zoot Suit Riots Engle, Margarita (Youth)
Shimmy shimmy shimmy like my sister Kate: looking at the Harlem Renaissance through poems Giovanni, Nikki (Youth NF)
Travel Team Lupica, Mike (Youth)
The radius of us Marquardt, Marie (Youth)
It's Trevor Noah: Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood Trevor, Noah (Youth Bio.) (Ordered)
A good kind of trouble Ramée, Lisa Moore (Youth)
Reynolds, Jason-anything he has written (Youth)
Betty before X Shabazz, Ilyasah (Youth)
Hidden Figures: Young Readers' Edition Shetterly, Margot Lee (Youth NF)
Just Mercy (Adapted for Young Adults): A True Story of the Fight for Justice Stevenson, Bryan (Youth Bio.) (Ordered)
Roll of thunder, hear my cry Taylor, Mildred D. (Youth)
The hate u give & On the come up Thomas, Angie (Youth & DVD of 1st)
The bridge home Venkatraman, Padma (Youth)
Stargazing Wang, Jen (Youth)
Piecing Me Together, Watch us Rise, Ways To Make Sunshine & This Side of Home Watson, Renée (Youth)
Biddy Mason Speaks Up & Fred Korematsu Speaks Up White, Arisa (Youth)
We hope for better things Bartels, Erin (Adult) (Inspirational)
Black Like Me Griffin, John Howard (Adult NF & DVD)
Green Book (DVD)
Lies my teacher told me : everything your American history textbook got wrong Loewen, James W. (Adult NF)
A Mercy & Beloved Morrison,Toni (Adult)
Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood Trevor Noah ) Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood Trevor, Noah (Adult Bio.)
Twelve years a slave Northup, Solomon (Adult Bio. & DVD)
Dreams from my father: a story of race and inheritance Obama, Barack (Adult Bio.)
Hidden Figures Shetterly, Margot Lee (Adult NF)
Just Mercy: A True Story of the Fight for Justice Stevenson, Bryan (Adult Bio.)
Links for Kids:
Continuing its Read-Along series for children and families nationwide during the pandemic, PBS Kids is teaming up with Little Free Libraries for a selection of free online readings by a variety of celebrities and public figures. In addition to reading a children’s book, each guest will designate a location for a new Little Free Library in the U.S., which will feature a collection of diverse books.
The program starts on June 29 at 12 p.m. ET with NBA legend Dwyane Wade reading his wife and actor Gabrielle Union’s children’s book, Welcome to the Party. Upcoming guests will include Camila Alves McConaughey, Tim Gunn, Carla Hall, Anthony Ramos, Marley Dias, Boris Kodjoe, Nicole Ari Parker and more.The series, which spotlights inclusive books and bilingual readings, will be livestreamed simultaneously on PBS Kids’ Facebook and YouTube channel and will remain available for later viewing. Accompanying literacy resources for each episode are available on pbskidsforparents.org.
STEAM Videos:
https://go.illinois.edu/STEAMplaylist
STEAM Activity lesson plans:
https://go.illinois.edu/STEAMactivities
https://www.mackidsschoolandlibrary.com/tag/virtual-storytime/?utm_source=exacttarget&utm_medium=na&utm_term=slnewsletter-activitykits&utm_content=na-learnmore-announcement&utm_campaign=slsite&e=1c3499d5f9ccc27b164a8d695603600f358d772134d30b5ac886cbdb940736c4
Julie’s Library: Story Time with Julie Andrews
American Public Media
Listen on Apple Podcasts
Join beloved icon Julie Andrews for story time! Julie and her daughter, children’s author and educator Emma Walton Hamilton, invite you into their library to read their favorite children's books. Every story comes to life with sound, music and activities. Authors, kids and other special guests chime in, too! It’s a show that will inspire lively conversations and a lifelong love of reading. Produced by American Public Media.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1507980417
Random House Launches Virtual Magic Tree House Program
Magic Tree House Home Adventures will run from April 27 to May 22, featuring weekly themed videos, crafts, games, reading challenges, recipes, trivia, and other activities tied to the series and its characters. Readers will also have access to videos of Osborne reading and answering questions from fans.
https://www.magictreehouse.com/go/
Michelle Obama Announces Storytimes with PRH and PBS Kids
https://www.facebook.com/PBSKIDS/
https://static.macmillan.com/static/macmillanchildrens/mackids-streaming-schoolhouse/
https://www.instagram.com/leilasalesbooks/
Cool Games
https://portal.gamelearning.co/dashboard?SiteID=&DistrictID=&SchoolID=&Preview=1
AT HOME LEARNING COLLECTIONS WITH ADDITIONAL LINKS
Georgia 4-H Activity Resources to Educate and Entertain Youth - https://georgia4h.org/about-us/resources/activity-resources
Iowa State Extension At Home Learning Resources - https://www.extension.iastate.edu/4h/4h-at-home-learning-resources
Nebraska 4-H Living Room Learning - https://4h.unl.edu/living-room-learning
New Jersey 4-H – 4-H from Home - http://nj4h.rutgers.edu/4h-from-home/
Michigan State University Extension Resources for School Closures - https://www.canr.msu.edu/family/Educational-Resources-for-School-Closures/index
STEM
Embryology in the Classroom – University of Illinois Extension, Fulton-Mason-Peoria-Tazewell Unit moved their regular Embryology in the Classroom program to an online format. Using videos, Facebook live, online photo album, and downloadable resources, 4-H staff provide information students of all ages will enjoy learning about the incubation process of chickens.
https://extension.illinois.edu/fmpt/embryology-classroom
What’s Quackin? A Virtual Embryology Program – University of Illinois Extension, McLean County STEAM Program used duck eggs to teach about embryology. 4-H staff posted short Daily Quack Fact videos that include updates of the incubating eggs and hands-on activities.
https://extension.illinois.edu/lmw/steam-classroom
Virtual Butterfly Adventures – University of Illinois Extension, Livingston County 4-H staff are teaching youth about the butterfly life cycle. New episodes are posted daily on the Livingston County 4-H Facebook page. They are currently working on creating a landing spot on their website to share all of the video links in one easy spot.
https://www.facebook.com/LivingstonCountyExt4H/
https://extension.illinois.edu/lmw/4-h-livingston-county
84 Easy Science Lessons You Can Do At Home – Michigan State University Extension - science activities using supplies you probably already have around the house: understanding your senses, physical science, engineering, animal science, plant science, environmental science, food science, and social science.
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/84-easy-science-lessons-you-can-do-at-home
National 4-H Council – National Youth Science Day: Since 2008, National 4-H Council encourages youth to complete the National Youth Science Day challenge each fall. Past challenges including supply lists, instructions, and youth and facilitator guides are available for download. Depending on the challenge, some supplies are easy to obtain, while others may be more difficult.
https://4-h.org/parents/national-youth-science-day/
Iowa 4-H and NASA Iowa Space Grant Consortium STEAM Academy - Weekly STEAM challenges for youth in grades 4-12.
https://www.extension.iastate.edu/4h/iowa-4-h-and-nasa-iowa-space-grant-consortium-steam-academy
Steam Powered Family: Virtual Dissections Lab. Dissections. Does the word make you cringe? Feel a little sick to your stomach? Fill you with dread? For many reasons dissections can cause concerns for educators, but they are a very important part of a child’s education. Understanding how things work from the inside, is vital to developing a strong understanding of biology, physiology and anatomy. Thankfully there are many solutions available. So save yourself the mess and the stress in your lessons and labs with these options for virtual dissections.
https://www.steampoweredfamily.com/education/virtual-dissections-labs/?fbclid=IwAR2QTjQq1YARpy5eMdhxCJ37XhKa9Fcw-u-7j1_ym32RIvc9ZoCvMr_3shs
From The Mountains To The Sea – Georgia 4-H Centers: We are excited to announce the #FromTheMountainsToTheSea series hosted by the Georgia 4-H Centers. These sessions will highlight many of the programs available at the 4-H Centers. Each weekday at 3:00 PM, Georgia 4-H environmental education staff will either post a session or go live on Facebook to bring our EE programming to your home: Rock Eagle 4-H Center, Burton 4-H Center, Wahsega 4-H Center, Tidelands Nature Center 4-H, Georgia 4-H at Camp Jekyll, and Fortson 4-H Center! This past week’s sessions includes lessons on snakes, oysters and creatures of the living shoreline, night critters of Wahsega, ocean feeding frenzies and goats. View the series archive. Tune in this week to learn more about Rock Eagle 4-H Center, alligators, amphibians, turtles and enjoy a spa day at Fortson Farm.
University of Massachusetts 4-H Green Genes: Genetics - UMass Amherst biochemistry professor Dr. Molly Fitzgerald-Hayes, Dr. Frieda Reichsman, Kim Pond of the Massachusetts 4-H Program, and Carrie Chickering-Sears, Director of Community Education in Animal Agriculture at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have joined together to create a multi-media curriculum, Green Genes: a DNA Curriculum. Designed for the non-scientist adult working in out-of-school settings, this curriculum utilizes the experiential learning model and current research on how today’s youth learn to assist adults in teaching youth science concepts that are fun, informative and thought provoking. The intended audience includes youth workers, 4-H volunteers and educators, parents providing home-school education, and science teachers working primarily with youth between the ages of 10 and 13.
https://ag.umass.edu/mass4h/programs/science-engineering-technology/curriculum/green-genes-genetics
Michigan State University Extension 4-H Heads In, Hearts In: Full Science Activity Book - 100+ page activity guide for science activities at home. Free downloadable file.
https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/heads-in-hearts-in-science-activities
NATURAL RESOURCES
University of Illinois Extension – My First Garden - An interactive website for kids on gardening. Grade 4
https://web.extension.illinois.edu/firstgarden/
Growing Gardens Growing Healthy Youth – University of Maryland Extension – Quick and Fun Indoor Gardening Activities for Families.
https://extension.umd.edu/sites/extension.umd.edu/files/_docs/locations/frederick_county/Indoor%20Gardening.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1iUcHFMHY2Zxb9aClja2_ST1GzDWX76qUVhjvjul-_N7o76Zo1uliaEhg
Parts of A Leaf Activity Guide: Leaves are all around us! Follow this guide as you create leaf rubbings and learn to identify all the parts of a leaf.
https://georgia4h.org/wp-content/uploads/Parts-of-a-Leaf.pdf
Leaf Scavenger Hunt: Get outside and observe the trees around you! Use this scavenger hunt guide to find all the different ways to classify leaves.
https://georgia4h.org/wp-content/uploads/Leaf-Scavenger-Hunt.pdf
Nature’s Colors Activity Guide: Nature is filled with colors! Challenge yourself by trying to discover all the colors you can find in the great outdoors.
https://georgia4h.org/wp-content/uploads/Natures-Colors.pdf
Dish Garden Activity Guide: A dish garden is a garden of small plants that grow together in a shallow dish/bowl. The plants used in a dish garden generally stay small, grow at slow rates and should be compatible with each other.
Dish Garden Activity Guide
Seed Starter Activity Guide: Growing plants from seeds can be a fun and rewarding experience! Many times, gardeners begin their seeds in small containers before transplanting the seeds into larger pots.
Seed Starter Activity Guide
HEALTH & WELLNESS
National 4-H Council- 4-H Healthy Living Activity Guide: Download the 4-H Healthy Living Activity Guide for 30 hands-on, educational activities to help your child live a happy, healthy life.
https://4-h.org/about/inspire-kids-to-do/#main-form
Food Science Activities For Kids: Penn State University offers a list of easy, hands-on activities to help kids learn about Food Science.
https://foodscience.psu.edu/youth/experiments
4-H Yoga for Kids Videos: Oklahoma 4-H has put together a playlist of videos demonstrating yoga poses.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmwZHr33dN_Iqg_Q87o-pBg
Heads In, Hearts In: Full Healthy Living Activity Book – Michigan State University Extension - The Heads In, Hearts In family enrichment program encourages families to use their minds as a tool to expand their knowledge around a variety of topic areas. This packet contains all 15 healthy living activities.
https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/heads-in-hearts-in-healthy-living-activities
http://www.curiousgeorge.com/curiosity-challenge
https://www.peoriariverfrontmuseum.org/plan-your-visit/virtual-museum
https://storytimefromspace.com/
https://www.penguinclassroom.com/
https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2020/03/activities-kids-coronavirus-quarantine/608110/
17 Apps to Help Kids Stay FocuseApps That Act Like Math and Science Tutors for Homework Help
25 dance games (you might need to buy a special control from Amazon).
Apps, websites, and video games
https://www.harpercollins.com/childrens/harper-at-home/?
utm_source=Publishers+Weekly&utm_campaign=7f4deea3fb-Abrams+-+PWD+-+20170530_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0bb2959cbb-7f4deea3fb-306845093
https://www.readbrightly.com/?
ref=PRH4FB919F7ADC0&linkid=PRH4FB919F7ADC0&cdi=23CF0FA8F3402BF3E0534FD66B0A902E&template_id=16097&aid=randohouseinc9840-20
https://freedomhomeschooling.com/virtual-field-trips/?
fbclid=IwAR3aXQjoxslMt1WPHofcQrD8q5oXC_vKWNTBVdapP9vQ_Z7tGIFcU-0022c
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/free-online-events-activities-kids-at-home-coronavirus? j=7711684&sfmc_sub=170626408&l=2048712_HTML&u=143747069&mid=6409703&jb=891&utm_source=covid19_freeactivities_20200323&utm_medium=email
https://www.khanacademy.org/about/blog/post/611770255064350720/remote-learning-with-khan-academy-during-school
http://clearinghouse.starnetlibraries.org/astronomy-and-space/218-sky-heroes-an-activity-reinventing-the-constellations.html
https://kids.scholastic.com/kids/books/dav-pilkey-at-home/
https://www.tabletwise.com/class/category/free
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/family/at-home-education-resources
https://www.workman.com/company/resources-for-remote-learning
https://simonandschusterpublishing.com/readandlearn/
https://www.learnwithcrp.com/
https://www.charlesbridge.com/pages/remote-author-content
https://www.si.edu/sites/default/files/how-to-make-a-collagasaurus.pdf
https://pjlibrary.org/home
https://www.barbarabush.org/toolkit-for-at-home-learning/
https://www.dccomics.com/familynewsletter
https://www.scbwi.org/scbwi-connects/
https://www.readtogetherbetogether.com/
https://writeforkids.org/blog/2020/03/a-message-to-the-kidlit-writing-community/
https://tundrabooks.com/virtual-story-times-and-singalongs/
http://www.hogwartsishere.com/sign-up/?next=/library/
Links for Youth and Adults
The Penguin Random House Library Marketing Department were so thrilled to gather librarian love from around the country to send to 2020 grads. Hear what advice these librarians have to share!
Click to Watch the Video.
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2020/05/07/puzzles/#.Xt7QMUVKiUn
https://www.alastore.ala.org/sites/default/files/StayWellStayInspired.pdf
There's no shortage of excellent anti-racist reading lists that have circulated in recent days as the nation has been convulsed by mass demonstrations and protests against police brutality following the death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis. We are going to add our own to the mix, with recommendations by PW editors for recent nonfiction books about some of the many issues at play, whether that's police brutality, institutional racism, activism, or what it's like to be black in America today.
This is, of course, a far from incomplete accounting of the many worthy books on these topics.
Being Black in America
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates (Random/Spiegel & Grau)
"As a meditation on race in America, haunted by the bodies of black men, women, and children, Coates's compelling, indeed stunning, work is rare in its power to make you want to slow down and read every word."
Negroland: A Memoir by Margo Jefferson (Pantheon)
"Perceptive, specific, and powerful, Jefferson's work balances themes of race, class, entitlement, and privilege with her own social and cultural awakening."
No Ashes in the Fire: Coming of Age Black & Free in America by Darnell L. Moore (Nation)
"Moore’s well-crafted book is a stunning tribute to affirmation, forgiveness, and healing—and serves as an invigorating emotional tonic."
On the Other Side of Freedom: The Case for Hope by DeRay Mckesson (Viking)
"[A]ctivist and podcaster Mckesson reflects on what he’s learned from protest, family upheaval, racial inequality, homophobia, community organizing, abuse, and love."
What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Blacker: A Memoir in Essays by Damon Young (Ecco)
“Young uses pop culture references and personal stories to look at a life molded by structural racism, the joy of having a family that holds together in a crisis, and the thrill of succeeding against difficult odds.”
Civil Rights Activism
A More Beautiful and Terrible History: The Uses and Misuses of Civil Rights History by Jeanne Theoharis (Beacon)
"Theoharis’s lucid and insightful study ...[offers] a deeper and more nuanced understanding of the civil rights movement’s legacy, and [shows] how much remains to be done."
How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi (One World)
"Kendi follows his National Book Award–winning Stamped from the Beginning with a boldly articulated, historically informed explanation of what exactly racist ideas and thinking are, and what their antiracist antithesis looks like both systemically and at the level of individual action."
They Can’t Kill Us All: Ferguson, Baltimore, and a New Era in America’s Racial Justice Movement by Wesley Lowery (Little, Brown)
"Digging beneath the news headlines of police killings and protests, Lowery’s timely work gives texture and context to a new era of African-American activism."
When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir by Patrisse Khan-Cullors and Asha Bandele (St. Martin's)
"This is an eye-opening and eloquent coming-of-age story from one of the leaders in the new generation of social activists."
Institutional Racism and Police Brutality
The Black and the Blue: A Cop Reveals the Crimes, Racism, and Injustice in America’s Law Enforcement by Matthew Horace and Ron Harris (Hachette)
"Horace, a former agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and a CNN analyst, explores the 'implicit bias' and overt racism that makes black people the targets of profiling, harassment, beatings, and unjustified gunfire from cops."
Blood at the Root: A Racial Cleansing in America by Patrick Phillips (Norton)
"This is a gripping, timely, and important examination of American racism, and Phillips tells it with rare clarity and power."
The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein (Liveright)
"Rothstein’s comprehensive and engrossing book reveals just how the U.S. arrived at the 'systematic racial segregation we find in metropolitan areas today,' focusing in particular on the role of government."
Driving While Black: African American Travel and the Road to Civil Rights by Gretchen Sorin (Liveright)
"Lucidly written and generously illustrated with photos and artifacts, this rigorous and entertaining history deserves a wide readership."
Five Days: The Fiery Reckoning of an American City by Wes Moore, with Erica L. Green (One World)
"Moore provides important context in the history of Baltimore’s racial and income inequality and the emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement. Readers will be enthralled by this propulsive account."
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson (Random/Spiegel & Grau)
“Stevenson, a professor of law at New York University and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, a legal firm providing services for the wrongly condemned, describes in his memoir how he got the call to represent this largely neglected clientele in our justice system.”
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander (New Press)
"Legal scholar Alexander argues vigorously and persuasively that '[w]e have not ended racial caste in America; we have merely redesigned it.' ”
Open Season: The Legalized Genocide of Colored People by Ben Crump (Amistad)
"Civil rights attorney Crump, who has represented the families of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown, delivers a forceful debut exposé of America’s 'legalized system of discrimination.'”
White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin Diangelo (Beacon)
“This slim book is impressive in its scope and complexity; Diangelo provides a powerful lens for examining, and practical tools for grappling with, racism today.”
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/tip-sheet/article/83485-an-anti-racist-reading-list.html
https://action.alz.org/PersonifyEbusiness/Default.aspx?TabID=1357&productid=69717593&_ga=2.164819455.1991245800.1587061189-325887764.1584646532
https://www.laphamsquarterly.org/roundtable/viral-news
Free Educational Apps, Games, and WebsitesTop Time-Management Apps
tips for taking in rapidly changing news
meditation apps for kids and families
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/hope-resilience/202003/how-talk-your-kids-about-covid-19
https://www.bookbyte.com/blog/productivity-tips-for-studying-from-home-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic?
utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=studyFromHomeTipsMAR2020
https://archive.org/details/nationalemergencylibrary
https://12bdea39-3149-40e1-5bcf-fbe26c4bed5b.filesusr.com/ugd/c18080_9b6fba0adf164ba4824496a1c9f1523a.pdf
https://www.maginationpressfamily.org/
https://www.dk.com/us/information/stay-home-hub/
https://www.mackin.com/hq/distance-learning-essentials/
https://starbrightbooks.com/blog/free-digital-access/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0MpwxxTbrBOz1g1X-BynUA
https://holidayhouse.com/holiday-house-resources/
Keep your child reading, learning and having fun with Simon Kids!
This is a one-stop shop for all of our great resources for parents and educators as you navigate distance learning at home.
JOIN US ON SOCIAL @SIMONKIDS
Snack & Read Live with Simon Kids
Live read-alouds and activities around bestselling and award-winning books Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 2 PM EST.
Read & Learn with Simon Kids on YouTube
A brand-new video initiative full of storytimes, sing-alongs, writing prompts and other activity videos with Simon & Schuster authors.
Simon Kids Pinterest
Downloadable activities for children, craft ideas inspired by books for young readers, reading recommendations and more.
DOWNLOADABLE RESOURCES
Activity Sheets
Coloring pages, connect the dots and other downloadable activities and crafts for kids of all ages.
Reading Group Guides
Discussion questions and activities for reading books together.
Curriculum Guides
Teaching guides developed by educators and librarians aligned to the Common Core.
MORE RESOURCES FOR PARENTS & EDUCATORS
Browse Books by Reading Level
Find the right book for your reader — browse our titles by their Lexile® or Fountas & Pinnell™ levels.
The Book Pantry
Book recommendations and resources for educators and librarians pulled together by Simon & Schuster’s Education and Library Marketing Team.
Ready-to-Read
Activities, arts and crafts, and parent and educator guides for Ready-to-Read leveled readers.
Graphic Novels
A comprehensive guide about how to use Graphic Novels to foster a love of reading at home or in the classroom.
In The Middle Books
Discover fun, fantastic reads for kids in grades two through eight.
Riveted by Simon Teen
Teens can find reading recommendations, fun articles, extended excerpts, tons of quizzes and full books they can read for FREE on site.
Themed Collections
Browse bestselling and award-winning books by topic.
Many free online educational resources are available to support student learning. This includes otherwise paid resources which have been available at no cost during the COVID-19 pandemic.
While Explore More Illinois is suspended, virtual options for culture, education, and entertainment are available from your home. Check out these online performances:
Below is a list of some notable resources:
Common Sense Launches New Online Resource
Today we're launching a brand-new, free online resource to support families and educators who are transitioning to remote learning as a result of the coronavirus: Wide Open School. Why? There are so many online resources to support kids' educational, emotional, and physical development that Common Sense editors are noticing yet another challenge for parents and educators: How can you find high-quality resources quickly, easily, and in one place?
Curated and coordinated by the experts at Common Sense, Wide Open School is the result of a collaboration among leading publishers, nonprofits, and education and technology companies. Wide Open School features a free collection of the best learning experiences and activities for kids, organized by grade band and subject. You will also find daily schedules with creative breaks and recommendations to keep kids engaged and exploring, one day (or one hour) at a time.
We know that Wide Open School can only fulfill its mission if all kids and families can access it; Common Sense is committed to ensuring connectivity now. And, as always, we will continue to offer guidance and support as you navigate privacy and safety in all you do online.
We, along with our partners, are proud to bring you this new offering to support kids during this critical period. Please visit Wide Open School to take advantage of the best resources available for kids right now.
Go to Wide Open School
Starting 3/18/20, LibraryThing.com, both on the web and using our cataloging app, are free to all, to add as many books as you want. And, no, we’re not going to add ads. (We will keep showing a few Google ads to visitors, but they vanish as soon as you become a member.)
At any time you may visit https://extension.illinois.edu/global/digital-webinars-and-training for the most current listing of webinars.
Energy and Environment Recorded Webinars
How to Keep Kids Learning When You're All Stuck at Home
Quick tips
Manage your expectations. Your kids will not be learning at the same pace or breadth as a usual school day. Figure two to three hours a day to start. Don't stress too much about this.
Make time for breaks and fun. All of us are anxious as we manage this new reality, so take any opportunity to relax and laugh together. It will make the hard stuff easier.
Set a schedule. Get everyone on the same page so you don't have to nag. Routines can be comforting for everyone.
Review schools' plans. In some cases, schools will have a very specific education plan during closures. Use their instructions as a guide for setting up your schedule.
Morning
Math. About 30 minutes.
Watch a Khan Academy lesson and practice. If your math skills aren't what they used to be, visit Khan Academy's FAQ for tips on how to help your kid with math or get them started on self-directed learning. Here is their Quick Start Guide if you're ready to jump in.
Other math resources:
Reading. 30-60 minutes.
If your kid has a book they're reading in English class, make some progress on that. If not, choose one for fun. If you can't leave the house, Libby connects you to your local library. Punch in your library card number and you have access to a wide range of ebooks kids can access on their Kindle, tablet, or computer.
Other reading apps:
Physical education. 30-60 minutes.
Ideally you can get outside and go for a walk or throw a ball around. But if you're stuck indoors, you can follow along to YouTube exercise videos, set up an obstacle course, do some yoga or stretching, or try jumping jacks.
Just Dance 2020 helps tweens and teens work up a sweat while listening to favorite music (you'll need a game console to play it). It has some mature lyrics, so choose something different if that's a concern. More ideas:
Midday
Connect with friends. 30-60 minutes.
Tweens and teens thrive on social connections, so make sure to keep these going even if you aren't allowing in-person time. If they're already on popular social platforms, this might be the time to re-negotiate any time limits so they can get their social fix virtually.
Houseparty is a group video-chat tool that, when used appropriately, can be a fun way for friends to connect and catch up. Other picks:
Afternoon
Creative time. 90-120 minutes.
Bring out the pens and paper! This can be a nice chunk of time off screens. Whatever your kid is into—piano, papier-mâché, playwriting—this is the perfect opportunity to let loose. Of course, there are lots of ways media and tech can support these interests if you choose.
YouTube has an endless amount of instructional content, including music lessons, DIY creators, painting (gotta love Bob Ross!), and more. Keep younger kids in family spaces so you can make sure they are finding quality content. More choices:
Chores. 15-30 minutes.
Every family has a different way of managing household responsibilities. But if you're finding this to be a particularly challenging time to get your kids to help out, you can try some apps that can help them stay organized and give some incentives.
Brili Routines is a task manager with a simple interface that works well for kids who need a little extra push to complete their daily tasks. Parents set up the tasks and then switch to the kid profile before turning it over. Kids earn rewards and learn to better manage their time. Other options:
Evening
Family time
When kids are stressed, they're going to need even more chances to chill out, so this might be a time to relax rules about entertainment media. And while tweens and teens don't always tell you that they need your support, they do. Watching movies or playing games together can be an easy way to be together in a low-stress way. Here are some ideas.
Jackbox Party Packs are collections of games that groups can play using individual devices (phones, tablets, laptops). You can download the game via providers such as Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Comcast Xfinity X1, and the game network Steam—and then play it from the couch. You can even invite friends and family from afar to join the game while video-chatting. Also try:
Other resources
Helping kids stay focused
If you're concerned that your kid won't be able to stay on task while doing online work, you may need to get some tech help. Here are some options:
Animals
Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden’s Home Safari Events
Each weekday, starting at 2 p.m. Central time, the Cincinnati Zoo will introduce one of their animals, and include an activity to do at home. Go to Cincinnati Zoo’s Facebook page for the Facebook Live event.
Animal Webcams
Aquarium of the Pacific Webcams
The Aquarium of the Pacific has live images of sharks, sea jellies, fish, and penguins
Monterey Bay Aquarium Webcams
Check in on sea otters, moon jellies, open sea creatures, or a kelp forest.
Houston Zoo Webcams
Watch giraffes, gorillas, elephants, and more
San Diego Zoo Webcams
Live and recorded webcams of pandas, penguins, koalas, and other animals
Virtual Farm Tours
Take a tour of real farms and see what they’re like
Arts and Crafts
Creativebug
Creativebug.com has more than 1,000 award-winning art & craft video classes taught by recognized design experts and artists. DKPL card required.
Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems
Daily drawing session with author Mo Willems every weekday at 12pm Central time.
Educational Resources:
Scholastic Learn at Home
Daily projects to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing. Pre-k and up
Khan Academy
Free resources for ages 4-18, or a free app for ages 2-7. Requires signing up for a free account.
History
Digital Public Library of America
DPLA connects people to the riches held within America’s libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural heritage institutions. All of the materials found through DPLA—photographs, books, maps, news footage, oral histories, personal letters, museum objects, artwork, government documents, and so much more—are free and immediately available in digital format. The cultural institutions participating in DPLA represent the richness and diversity of America itself, from the smallest local history museum to our nation’s largest cultural institutions.
Illinois Digital Archives
The Illinois Digital Archives is a repository for the digital collections of the Illinois State Library as well as other libraries and cultural institutions in the State of Illinois. It contains historical photographs, slides, glass negatives, oral histories, manuscripts, letters, federal government documents, postcards, posters, videos, newspapers, and maps.
Newspapers.com
Newspapers.com is the largest online newspaper archive consisting of 514 million+ pages of historical newspapers from 12,100+ newspapers from around the United States and beyond. Newspapers provide a unique view of the past and can help us understand and connect with the people, events and attitudes of an earlier time. DKPL card required.
Language Learning
Mango Languages
Reach conversational proficiency in 72 languages, including English as a Second Language, good for tourists or beginners. Free app for iOS and Android available. DKPL card required.
Music
Weekday Live Streams with Mr. Jon & Friends
Mr. Jon & Friends will be hosting weekday live streams of music and movement for kids at 9:30 a.m. Central time each day. Watch live, and then come back to re-watch alter as often as you’d like. The live stream events run from Monday, March 16th to Friday, March 27th. You can find all the info on their Facebook page.
The Kennedy Center Digital Stage
Archive of the nation’s busiest performing arts center.
Metropolitan Opera Nightly Met Opera Streams
Daily series of free streaming opera presentations, available to stream from 6:30 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. the next day.
Reading and Storytimes:
The Dance: A Story of Love, Faith, and Survival
Joan Aubelel will be rescheduling her visit to the library for sometime in late spring or summer. In the meantime, thank you to Joan for making her memoir available to the public!
The Lucky Trikes Storytimes From a Short Distance
Nightly live-streamed storytimes on Facebook Live at 8 p.m. Central Time
Story time with author Mac Barnett
Children’s author Mac Barnett will be reading one of his books out loud, on Instagram Live, every weekday at 2 p.m. Central time until he runs out of books to read.
Stories with author Oliver Jeffers
Artist Oliver Jeffers will be reading one of his books and talking about being a writer every weekday, at 1 p.m. Central time.
Virtual Field Trips
Access Mars
Check out a 360 degree tour of Mars from the Mars Rover
Air Pano
Air Pano is a group of Russian photographers that takes 360 degree photos and videos of important places around the world. Many beautiful places are available to explore.
Discovery Education Virtual Field Trips
STEM field trips to the Johnson Space Center, arctic tundra, and more
The Louvre–Paris
Virtual tours of some of the historic museum’s most famous collections
National Museum of Anthropology–Mexico City
Collections related to the archaeology and history of Mexico’s pre-Hispanic civilizations.
National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art–South Korea
Modern Korean art and design.
The Vatican–Rome
Tour one of the world’s most beautiful buildings.
Yellowstone National Park
Watch live footage of the Mud Volcano, Fountain Paint Pot, and more
Publishers Weekly Makes Resources Free
We will make the digital magazine available to everyone regardless of whether you subscribe starting with the current issue (March 16, 2020).
Everyone can now access the digital edition of PW from www.digitalpw.com or from the PW app on iOS and Android.
Additionally, articles, past bestsellers lists and the reviews database, which includes a search feature and the reviews listed by genre, will be made available to all.
It's Time To Get Serious About Social Distancing. Here's How
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/03/17/817251610/its-time-to-get-serious-about-social-distancing-here-s-how?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews
Want to access the library’s catalog from your mobile device? You can with the new RSAcat Mobile app! It available for both Android and Apple devices. The RSAcat Mobile app means accessing our catalog is more convenient than ever. Head to the Apple or Google Play Stores, install the free app, and log in with your library card and PIN. (Don't know your PIN? Contact us at 742-2431 and we'll reset it for you!)
The much improved app makes it easy to manage your account, search the catalog, renew checkouts, and place holds. You can also scan the ISBN barcode on the back of a book to see if we have a copy, receive notifications for holds or fees, or search for nearby libraries. The RSAcat Mobile app also features improved accessibility for VoiceOver and larger text sizes.
Brand new features include the ability to link multiple accounts and manage them from the app, so that a parent can link their children’s accounts. Patrons can now also pay fines or bills directly from the app.
Given the unknown, but increasingly problematic, status of the (Wuhan/China) coronavirus, here is a link from the CDC.
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/
Dreams Take Flight at Your Local Library portrays children discovering the library and all it has to offer and it features the library's important role in STEM education. Please click the link to see the video on You Tube. https://youtu.be/FaSwEQ5-5T0
Storyline Online is a program of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation. The Foundation is a nonprofit organization that relies entirely on gifts, grants and donations to fund Storyline Online and produce all of its videos.
Hula Hoopin Queen was selected by the Screen Actors Guild Foundation for its latest read aloud on Storyline Online, an interactive literacy website where well-known actors read popular, award-winning children’s books to help students fall in love with reading. In this video, media maven Oprah Winfrey reads our picture book The Hula-Hoopin’ Queen by Thelma Godin and illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton, a charming celebration of family and community ties.
www.storylineonline.net/books/hula-hoopin-queen/
Other Lee & Low titles on Storyline Online include Rent Party Jazz read by Viola Davis, Catching the Moon read by Kevin Costner and Jillian Estell and As Fast As Words Could Fly read by Dulé Hill!
For the Storyline Online Book Collection, click here.
Elmwood's Historical Society was recently part of an interview by Tim Shelby of WCBU radio. You may listen to the interview at https://www.peoriapublicradio.org/post/sculptor-lorado-tafts-legacy-undergoing-quiet-restoration-his-hometown#stream/0
Please check out our two Little Free Libraries. One is located in Central Park near the bench on the NW corner of the park. The other is near the front door of the elementary school (books are not kept in this library during the summer). Please stop by to take a book, leave a book!!
Little Free Libraries a “take a book, return a book” gathering place where neighbors share their favorite literature and stories. In its most basic form, a Little Free Library is a box full of books where anyone may stop by and pick up a book (or two) and bring back another book to share. You can, too! The library will soon have two Little Free Libraries around town. The first Free Little Library was in Hudson WI in 2010. By 2014 there were around 15,000 around the world! Elmwood has become part of this great movement to promote literacy and encourage community. We are so proud to bring this great idea to Elmwood!
The Morrison & Mary Wiley Library is not supported by tax money. A library card is free to Elmwood Township residents due to the generosity of the Morrison & Mary Wiley family. Rosefield Township pays for their residents to have a library card at our library. To register for a card, please bring a photo ID & one other form of identification with your home address (Ameren bill, water bill, etc.). The library issues family cards, so parents must register for the card. Please call 742-2431 with any questions.
The library has the following magazines for patrons to check out:
Birds & Bloom Martha Stewart Living
Country Midwest Living
Country Living People
Country Woman The Pioneer Woman
Cricket Prevention
Family Circle Real Simple
Fine Gardening Reminisce
Good Housekeeping Taste of Home
Good Old Days This Old House
HGTV US Weekly
Jack & Jill Woman’s Day
Just wanted to shout out an opportunity for patrons to join in two Census Info Sessions Evergreen Park Public Library is hosting for the public via Zoom. There are two dates:
- Tuesday, June 23 @ 10 am
- Monday, June 29 @ 6 pm
Facebook event - https://www.facebook.com/events/688244995360685/
June 23 session - https://evergreenparklibrary.librarymarket.com/events/census-info-session
June 29 session - https://evergreenparklibrary.librarymarket.com/events/census-info-session-ii
The books: www.wecountkids.org/ebooks
Free with promo code: Download
You can read all 15 versions of WE COUNT! in book-like (and adorable) story books online, or download the PDF. Feel free to share the address with teachers, partners and families. If you want to embed the books on your OWN website or social media it is not hard to do - give us a holler and we are happy to help!
Activities: www.wecountkids.org/we-count-pdfs
Free with promo code: Download
Kids can color their own WE COUNT! book if you share the link with families. Want to embed it in your site? Want us to print and ship copies to you? Call! We are happy to help!
Teacher's/Parent's Guide
www.wecountkids.org/we-count-pdfs
These early numeracy activities need teacher/parent guidance.
Exciting News for Harry Potter fans!
J.K. Rowling announced on May 26th that she is joining children’s book authors the world over in helping out parents eager to entertain their children locked down at home during the current closing of schools and summer camps during the novel coronavirus pandemic. Rowling is releasing the first two installments of an online serialization of a fairy tale that she wrote more than 10 years ago called The Ickabog. The first installments went live at 10 AM Eastern time.
The Ickabog, Rowling wrote on a blog about its origins, “is a story about truth and the abuse of power.” A vocal critic of right-wing U.K. and U.S. politicians and their repressive policies, Rowling adds, “To forestall one obvious question: the idea came to me well over a decade ago, so it isn’t intended to be read as a response to anything that’s happening in the world right now. The themes are timeless and could apply to any era or any country.”
At least one chapter and up to three of its 34 chapters, Rowling says, will be posted every weekday from May 26th through July 10th on a dedicated website, www.theickabog.com. The series is free to readers.
Coronavirus: A Book for Children by Elizabeth Jenner and Kate Wilson and Nia Roberts (text) & Axel Scheffler
Pre K-Gr 6 A diverse cast, a global stage, practical and expert advice, along with friendly, accessible illustrations by Scheffler make this free digital download a must-have in the home or collection of everyone on the planet. In an NHS-endorsed project, Jenner, Wilson, and Roberts start with what we know right now about this virus, why it matters, how it is spread, what children can do, and how they can help. This part is a revelation, with everything from being kind to siblings also stuck at home, understanding that parents may not be available if they are working from home, that isolation is necessary, and that it may come with sadness and worry. Then the authors offer advice for what a child can do with this fear. This is a generous, straightforward, and necessary text; by showing people of all races, every age, all abilities or challenges, Scheffler’s cartoons, replete with asides in speech bubbles, smooth the facts and underscore the message that we can get through this.
An elegant, effective work. Download this now, read it immediately, share it with everyone you know. An educated citizenry is our best hope.
https://www.newsbank.com/2020-summer-reading-resource-center
In case anyone is thinking about making their own masks:
https://youtu.be/hFLIhGYDQA4
The STAR Library Network (STAR Net) is a hands-on learning network for libraries and their communities across the country. STAR Net focuses on helping library professionals build their STEM skills by providing “science-technology activities and resources” (STAR) and training to use those resources. Plus, engage public audiences nationwide in informal and lifelong learning with the excitement of exploration and discovery through STAR Net's NASA@ My Library program!
STAR Net is built upon a strong network of collaborators and partners, led by the Space Science Institute’s (SSI) National Center for Interactive Learning (NCIL). Partners include the American Library Association’s Public Programs Office, Collaborative Summer Library Program, Chief officers of State Library Agencies, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Afterschool Alliance, Education Development Center, American Society of Civil Engineers, and Cornerstones of Science. Major funding is provided by the National Science Foundation, NASA Science Mission Directorate, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Below is a set of resources that can be provided directly to families without the need of facilitation by library staff.
Activity: Water Pollution Clean Up
Civil engineers are very concerned about water quality. They devise systems for taking water from rivers, underground reservoirs, and even the ocean to provide water for drinking, irrigation, and flushing toilets. They also figure out how to clean the water after it’s been used so people and animals downstream have safe water to drink and use.
Learn how to design a water filter to remove pollutants. Watch Video >>
View/Download This Activity
Video: Water Wishes - Engineering for Those in Need
This video demonstrates how engineers can improve the lives of those in need. This short video highlights the work of Engineers Without Borders USA. Take a look at the work they are doing in Peru to provide community access to drinkable water.
Watch the Video
Digital App: Fly to Mars
We can only send spacecraft to Mars every two years. Have you ever wondered why? This simple simulation lets you launch a spacecraft from Earth to Mars. All you have to do is decide when to launch and we take care of the amount and direction of thrust. Easy, right?
Available on smartphones and tablets!
Download the Digital App
Play the Game on the Web
Use these featured resources to faciliate hands-on STEAM activities (using common household materials) for your patrons at home.
Virtual Program: Stellarium
Stellarium is a free and open source online planetarium that can be used for virtual night sky programs. It shows a realistic sky in 3D, just like what you see with the naked eye, binoculars or a telescope.
View This Virtual Program
Let NASA bring the universe into your home.
Podcast: Rendezvous with Mars
“Houston We Have a Podcast” is the official podcast of the NASA Johnson Space Center from Houston, Texas, home for NASA’s astronauts and Mission Control Center.
In this episode (151), Patrick Chai, aerospace engineer at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Virginia, covers the challenges and needs for getting humans to Mars and the options for propulsion, duration, time, and staging.
Listen to the Podcast
Smithsonian Online Puzzles
All of these images are freely available through our Image Gallery, Digital Library or Biodiversity Heritage Library. Feel free to explore, download other images and maybe make your own boredom buster!
“The Lilac” from Eugene Grasset’s La plante et ses applications ornementales (1896).
A stunner of a book, Grasset’s design patterns focus on plants and flowers. It was intended to promote the Art Nouveau style.
Play online: https://jigex.com/CsBd
“The Lilac” from Eugene Grasset’s La plante et ses applications ornementales (1896).“The Koodoo” from Samuel Daniell’s African Scenery and Animals, 1804-05.
The kudu is a type of spiral-horned antelope. It’s one of many species (some now extinct) featured in African scenery and animals (1804-05), available in the Biodiversity Heritage Library. These hand-colored aquatint plates present artwork by Samuel Daniell, produced during an expedition to Africa at the end of the eighteenth century.
Play online: https://jigex.com/HzPd
“The Koodoo” from Samuel Daniell’s African Scenery and Animals, 1804-05.“Pour rêver un peu” from La guirlande, fasc (1919).
The title of this illustration says it all – “To dream a little”. It was published in 1919 in the French literary and art journal, La guirlande. The publication’s art director was Italian artist Umberto Brunelleschi, known for his book and fashion illustrations.
Play online: https://jigex.com/6N8V
“Pour rêver un peu” from La guirlande, fasc (1919).Cover from Aéroplane captif (1909).
Aéroplane captif is one of hundreds of pieces of aeronautical-themed sheet music collected by Bella C. Landauer (1874–1960). Landauer took an interest in aviation when her son became a pilot and scoured music shops to amass her collection. She’s one of many collectors featured in our exhibition, Magnificent Obessions: Why We Collect.
Play online: https://jigex.com/4E1R
Cover from Aéroplane captif (1909). Gift of Bella C. Landauer.“Smithsonian Institution, from the North East” from Robert Dale Owen’s Hints on public architecture . . . (1849).
This charming drawing of men and women strolling on the paths on the Mall in front of the Smithsonian Institution Building (The Castle) is from Robert Dale Owen’s 1849 publication, Hints on public architecture, containing, among other illustrations, views and plans of the Smithsonian institution. Owen was a Smithsonian regent and the head of the Building Committee. The exterior of the building wasn’t actually completed until 1851.
Play online: https://jigex.com/Vggy
“Smithsonian Institution, from the North East” from Robert Dale Owen’s Hints on public architecture . . . (1849).Front cover from John Lewis Childs’ New, rare & beautiful flowers, (1890).
John Lewis Childs was born on May 13, 1856. He acquired a few acres and set up his business as a seedsman and florist at age eighteen, after one year as a florist’s helper on Long Island. His operation was based in Floral Park, New York, which was often featured in his catalogs. The Smithsonian Libraries holds more than 10,000 seed and nursery catalogs dating from 1830 to the present.
Play online: https://jigex.com/6Bzy
Front cover from John Lewis Childs’ New, rare & beautiful flowers, (1890).Categories:Art and Design Biodiversity Heritage Library Collection Highlights Education and Outreach History and Culture
Statement Against Racism
Libraries are committed to following the values of our profession as set forth by American Library Association (ALA). These values include equity, diversity and inclusion, social responsibility, and lifelong learning. At this moment in history, Morrison & Mary Wiley Library follows the example of the ALA and the Illinois Library Association in declaring that we stand against racism and systemic injustice in all forms. In the words of the ALA, “Wherever it resides, racism leads to degradation. It weakens our institutions and destroys our communities and is one of the greatest obstacles to the American Library Association’s mission ‘to enhance learning and ensure access to information to all.’”
Morrison & Mary Wiley Library is committed to creating a library environment where all are welcome and treated with dignity and respect. We endeavor to provide educational resources to assist members of our community of all ages to learn about the realities of racism and injustice and to build a library collection that reflects the diversity of human experience. We pledge to engage in ongoing self-examination to ensure that bias and discrimination have no place in the practices, policies or procedures of this institution. In doing so, we aspire to do our part to eradicate racism from society and create a more just world. We believe in learning and education, creating a welcoming environment to meet the needs of our community. Information is essential for fostering change and acceptance. To that end, we have compiled a list of books and movies that are available at our library to support conversations on race, racism and resistance. There are many more and we ask that if you have read or watched one that is not on the list that you let us know.
Where's Rodney? Bogan, Carmen (Juv.)
Freedom Soup Charles, Tami (Juv.)
Grandpa's corner store DiSalvo, DyAnne (Juv.)
Who Was Ida B. Wells? Fabiny, Sarah (Juv.) (Ordered)
Hip hop speaks to children: a celebration of poetry with a beat Giovanni, Nikki (Juv.)
Rosa Giovanni, Nikki (Juv. Bio.)
My people Hughes, Langston (Juv.)
Fry bread: a Native American family story Maillard, Kevin Noble (Juv.)
Alma and How She Got Her Name Martinez-Neal, Juana (Juv.)
Blue Sky White Stars or: Naberhaus, Sarvinder (Juv.)
Sulwe Nyong'o, Lupita (Juv.)
Little Libraries, Big Heroes Paul, Miranda (Juv.)
Hiking Day Rockwell, Anne (Juv.)
Who Were the Tuskegee Airmen? Smith, Sherri L. (Juv. NF)
Just Ask! Be Different Be Brave Be You Sotomayor, Sonia (Juv.)
Henry's freedom box Levine, Ellen (Juv.)
Any book by Acevedo, Elizabeth (Youth)
Alexander, Kwame-anything he has written (Youth)
Forge & Chains Anderson, Laurie Halse (Youth)
The epic fail of Arturo Zamora Cartaya, Pablo
New Kid Craft, Jerry
Jazz Owls: A Novel of the Zoot Suit Riots Engle, Margarita (Youth)
Shimmy shimmy shimmy like my sister Kate: looking at the Harlem Renaissance through poems Giovanni, Nikki (Youth NF)
Travel Team Lupica, Mike (Youth)
The radius of us Marquardt, Marie (Youth)
It's Trevor Noah: Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood Trevor, Noah (Youth Bio.) (Ordered)
A good kind of trouble Ramée, Lisa Moore (Youth)
Reynolds, Jason-anything he has written (Youth)
Betty before X Shabazz, Ilyasah (Youth)
Hidden Figures: Young Readers' Edition Shetterly, Margot Lee (Youth NF)
Just Mercy (Adapted for Young Adults): A True Story of the Fight for Justice Stevenson, Bryan (Youth Bio.) (Ordered)
Roll of thunder, hear my cry Taylor, Mildred D. (Youth)
The hate u give & On the come up Thomas, Angie (Youth & DVD of 1st)
The bridge home Venkatraman, Padma (Youth)
Stargazing Wang, Jen (Youth)
Piecing Me Together, Watch us Rise, Ways To Make Sunshine & This Side of Home Watson, Renée (Youth)
Biddy Mason Speaks Up & Fred Korematsu Speaks Up White, Arisa (Youth)
We hope for better things Bartels, Erin (Adult) (Inspirational)
Black Like Me Griffin, John Howard (Adult NF & DVD)
Green Book (DVD)
Lies my teacher told me : everything your American history textbook got wrong Loewen, James W. (Adult NF)
A Mercy & Beloved Morrison,Toni (Adult)
Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood Trevor Noah ) Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood Trevor, Noah (Adult Bio.)
Twelve years a slave Northup, Solomon (Adult Bio. & DVD)
Dreams from my father: a story of race and inheritance Obama, Barack (Adult Bio.)
Hidden Figures Shetterly, Margot Lee (Adult NF)
Just Mercy: A True Story of the Fight for Justice Stevenson, Bryan (Adult Bio.)
Links for Kids:
Continuing its Read-Along series for children and families nationwide during the pandemic, PBS Kids is teaming up with Little Free Libraries for a selection of free online readings by a variety of celebrities and public figures. In addition to reading a children’s book, each guest will designate a location for a new Little Free Library in the U.S., which will feature a collection of diverse books.
The program starts on June 29 at 12 p.m. ET with NBA legend Dwyane Wade reading his wife and actor Gabrielle Union’s children’s book, Welcome to the Party. Upcoming guests will include Camila Alves McConaughey, Tim Gunn, Carla Hall, Anthony Ramos, Marley Dias, Boris Kodjoe, Nicole Ari Parker and more.The series, which spotlights inclusive books and bilingual readings, will be livestreamed simultaneously on PBS Kids’ Facebook and YouTube channel and will remain available for later viewing. Accompanying literacy resources for each episode are available on pbskidsforparents.org.
STEAM Videos:
https://go.illinois.edu/STEAMplaylist
STEAM Activity lesson plans:
https://go.illinois.edu/STEAMactivities
https://www.mackidsschoolandlibrary.com/tag/virtual-storytime/?utm_source=exacttarget&utm_medium=na&utm_term=slnewsletter-activitykits&utm_content=na-learnmore-announcement&utm_campaign=slsite&e=1c3499d5f9ccc27b164a8d695603600f358d772134d30b5ac886cbdb940736c4
Julie’s Library: Story Time with Julie Andrews
American Public Media
Listen on Apple Podcasts
Join beloved icon Julie Andrews for story time! Julie and her daughter, children’s author and educator Emma Walton Hamilton, invite you into their library to read their favorite children's books. Every story comes to life with sound, music and activities. Authors, kids and other special guests chime in, too! It’s a show that will inspire lively conversations and a lifelong love of reading. Produced by American Public Media.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1507980417
Random House Launches Virtual Magic Tree House Program
Magic Tree House Home Adventures will run from April 27 to May 22, featuring weekly themed videos, crafts, games, reading challenges, recipes, trivia, and other activities tied to the series and its characters. Readers will also have access to videos of Osborne reading and answering questions from fans.
https://www.magictreehouse.com/go/
Michelle Obama Announces Storytimes with PRH and PBS Kids
https://www.facebook.com/PBSKIDS/
https://static.macmillan.com/static/macmillanchildrens/mackids-streaming-schoolhouse/
https://www.instagram.com/leilasalesbooks/
Cool Games
https://portal.gamelearning.co/dashboard?SiteID=&DistrictID=&SchoolID=&Preview=1
AT HOME LEARNING COLLECTIONS WITH ADDITIONAL LINKS
Georgia 4-H Activity Resources to Educate and Entertain Youth - https://georgia4h.org/about-us/resources/activity-resources
Iowa State Extension At Home Learning Resources - https://www.extension.iastate.edu/4h/4h-at-home-learning-resources
Nebraska 4-H Living Room Learning - https://4h.unl.edu/living-room-learning
New Jersey 4-H – 4-H from Home - http://nj4h.rutgers.edu/4h-from-home/
Michigan State University Extension Resources for School Closures - https://www.canr.msu.edu/family/Educational-Resources-for-School-Closures/index
STEM
Embryology in the Classroom – University of Illinois Extension, Fulton-Mason-Peoria-Tazewell Unit moved their regular Embryology in the Classroom program to an online format. Using videos, Facebook live, online photo album, and downloadable resources, 4-H staff provide information students of all ages will enjoy learning about the incubation process of chickens.
https://extension.illinois.edu/fmpt/embryology-classroom
What’s Quackin? A Virtual Embryology Program – University of Illinois Extension, McLean County STEAM Program used duck eggs to teach about embryology. 4-H staff posted short Daily Quack Fact videos that include updates of the incubating eggs and hands-on activities.
https://extension.illinois.edu/lmw/steam-classroom
Virtual Butterfly Adventures – University of Illinois Extension, Livingston County 4-H staff are teaching youth about the butterfly life cycle. New episodes are posted daily on the Livingston County 4-H Facebook page. They are currently working on creating a landing spot on their website to share all of the video links in one easy spot.
https://www.facebook.com/LivingstonCountyExt4H/
https://extension.illinois.edu/lmw/4-h-livingston-county
84 Easy Science Lessons You Can Do At Home – Michigan State University Extension - science activities using supplies you probably already have around the house: understanding your senses, physical science, engineering, animal science, plant science, environmental science, food science, and social science.
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/84-easy-science-lessons-you-can-do-at-home
National 4-H Council – National Youth Science Day: Since 2008, National 4-H Council encourages youth to complete the National Youth Science Day challenge each fall. Past challenges including supply lists, instructions, and youth and facilitator guides are available for download. Depending on the challenge, some supplies are easy to obtain, while others may be more difficult.
https://4-h.org/parents/national-youth-science-day/
Iowa 4-H and NASA Iowa Space Grant Consortium STEAM Academy - Weekly STEAM challenges for youth in grades 4-12.
https://www.extension.iastate.edu/4h/iowa-4-h-and-nasa-iowa-space-grant-consortium-steam-academy
Steam Powered Family: Virtual Dissections Lab. Dissections. Does the word make you cringe? Feel a little sick to your stomach? Fill you with dread? For many reasons dissections can cause concerns for educators, but they are a very important part of a child’s education. Understanding how things work from the inside, is vital to developing a strong understanding of biology, physiology and anatomy. Thankfully there are many solutions available. So save yourself the mess and the stress in your lessons and labs with these options for virtual dissections.
https://www.steampoweredfamily.com/education/virtual-dissections-labs/?fbclid=IwAR2QTjQq1YARpy5eMdhxCJ37XhKa9Fcw-u-7j1_ym32RIvc9ZoCvMr_3shs
From The Mountains To The Sea – Georgia 4-H Centers: We are excited to announce the #FromTheMountainsToTheSea series hosted by the Georgia 4-H Centers. These sessions will highlight many of the programs available at the 4-H Centers. Each weekday at 3:00 PM, Georgia 4-H environmental education staff will either post a session or go live on Facebook to bring our EE programming to your home: Rock Eagle 4-H Center, Burton 4-H Center, Wahsega 4-H Center, Tidelands Nature Center 4-H, Georgia 4-H at Camp Jekyll, and Fortson 4-H Center! This past week’s sessions includes lessons on snakes, oysters and creatures of the living shoreline, night critters of Wahsega, ocean feeding frenzies and goats. View the series archive. Tune in this week to learn more about Rock Eagle 4-H Center, alligators, amphibians, turtles and enjoy a spa day at Fortson Farm.
University of Massachusetts 4-H Green Genes: Genetics - UMass Amherst biochemistry professor Dr. Molly Fitzgerald-Hayes, Dr. Frieda Reichsman, Kim Pond of the Massachusetts 4-H Program, and Carrie Chickering-Sears, Director of Community Education in Animal Agriculture at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have joined together to create a multi-media curriculum, Green Genes: a DNA Curriculum. Designed for the non-scientist adult working in out-of-school settings, this curriculum utilizes the experiential learning model and current research on how today’s youth learn to assist adults in teaching youth science concepts that are fun, informative and thought provoking. The intended audience includes youth workers, 4-H volunteers and educators, parents providing home-school education, and science teachers working primarily with youth between the ages of 10 and 13.
https://ag.umass.edu/mass4h/programs/science-engineering-technology/curriculum/green-genes-genetics
Michigan State University Extension 4-H Heads In, Hearts In: Full Science Activity Book - 100+ page activity guide for science activities at home. Free downloadable file.
https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/heads-in-hearts-in-science-activities
NATURAL RESOURCES
University of Illinois Extension – My First Garden - An interactive website for kids on gardening. Grade 4
https://web.extension.illinois.edu/firstgarden/
Growing Gardens Growing Healthy Youth – University of Maryland Extension – Quick and Fun Indoor Gardening Activities for Families.
https://extension.umd.edu/sites/extension.umd.edu/files/_docs/locations/frederick_county/Indoor%20Gardening.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1iUcHFMHY2Zxb9aClja2_ST1GzDWX76qUVhjvjul-_N7o76Zo1uliaEhg
Parts of A Leaf Activity Guide: Leaves are all around us! Follow this guide as you create leaf rubbings and learn to identify all the parts of a leaf.
https://georgia4h.org/wp-content/uploads/Parts-of-a-Leaf.pdf
Leaf Scavenger Hunt: Get outside and observe the trees around you! Use this scavenger hunt guide to find all the different ways to classify leaves.
https://georgia4h.org/wp-content/uploads/Leaf-Scavenger-Hunt.pdf
Nature’s Colors Activity Guide: Nature is filled with colors! Challenge yourself by trying to discover all the colors you can find in the great outdoors.
https://georgia4h.org/wp-content/uploads/Natures-Colors.pdf
Dish Garden Activity Guide: A dish garden is a garden of small plants that grow together in a shallow dish/bowl. The plants used in a dish garden generally stay small, grow at slow rates and should be compatible with each other.
Dish Garden Activity Guide
Seed Starter Activity Guide: Growing plants from seeds can be a fun and rewarding experience! Many times, gardeners begin their seeds in small containers before transplanting the seeds into larger pots.
Seed Starter Activity Guide
HEALTH & WELLNESS
National 4-H Council- 4-H Healthy Living Activity Guide: Download the 4-H Healthy Living Activity Guide for 30 hands-on, educational activities to help your child live a happy, healthy life.
https://4-h.org/about/inspire-kids-to-do/#main-form
Food Science Activities For Kids: Penn State University offers a list of easy, hands-on activities to help kids learn about Food Science.
https://foodscience.psu.edu/youth/experiments
4-H Yoga for Kids Videos: Oklahoma 4-H has put together a playlist of videos demonstrating yoga poses.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmwZHr33dN_Iqg_Q87o-pBg
Heads In, Hearts In: Full Healthy Living Activity Book – Michigan State University Extension - The Heads In, Hearts In family enrichment program encourages families to use their minds as a tool to expand their knowledge around a variety of topic areas. This packet contains all 15 healthy living activities.
https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/heads-in-hearts-in-healthy-living-activities
http://www.curiousgeorge.com/curiosity-challenge
https://www.peoriariverfrontmuseum.org/plan-your-visit/virtual-museum
https://storytimefromspace.com/
https://www.penguinclassroom.com/
https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2020/03/activities-kids-coronavirus-quarantine/608110/
17 Apps to Help Kids Stay FocuseApps That Act Like Math and Science Tutors for Homework Help
25 dance games (you might need to buy a special control from Amazon).
Apps, websites, and video games
https://www.harpercollins.com/childrens/harper-at-home/?
utm_source=Publishers+Weekly&utm_campaign=7f4deea3fb-Abrams+-+PWD+-+20170530_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0bb2959cbb-7f4deea3fb-306845093
https://www.readbrightly.com/?
ref=PRH4FB919F7ADC0&linkid=PRH4FB919F7ADC0&cdi=23CF0FA8F3402BF3E0534FD66B0A902E&template_id=16097&aid=randohouseinc9840-20
https://freedomhomeschooling.com/virtual-field-trips/?
fbclid=IwAR3aXQjoxslMt1WPHofcQrD8q5oXC_vKWNTBVdapP9vQ_Z7tGIFcU-0022c
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/free-online-events-activities-kids-at-home-coronavirus? j=7711684&sfmc_sub=170626408&l=2048712_HTML&u=143747069&mid=6409703&jb=891&utm_source=covid19_freeactivities_20200323&utm_medium=email
https://www.khanacademy.org/about/blog/post/611770255064350720/remote-learning-with-khan-academy-during-school
http://clearinghouse.starnetlibraries.org/astronomy-and-space/218-sky-heroes-an-activity-reinventing-the-constellations.html
https://kids.scholastic.com/kids/books/dav-pilkey-at-home/
https://www.tabletwise.com/class/category/free
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/family/at-home-education-resources
https://www.workman.com/company/resources-for-remote-learning
https://simonandschusterpublishing.com/readandlearn/
https://www.learnwithcrp.com/
https://www.charlesbridge.com/pages/remote-author-content
https://www.si.edu/sites/default/files/how-to-make-a-collagasaurus.pdf
https://pjlibrary.org/home
https://www.barbarabush.org/toolkit-for-at-home-learning/
https://www.dccomics.com/familynewsletter
https://www.scbwi.org/scbwi-connects/
https://www.readtogetherbetogether.com/
https://writeforkids.org/blog/2020/03/a-message-to-the-kidlit-writing-community/
https://tundrabooks.com/virtual-story-times-and-singalongs/
http://www.hogwartsishere.com/sign-up/?next=/library/
Links for Youth and Adults
The Penguin Random House Library Marketing Department were so thrilled to gather librarian love from around the country to send to 2020 grads. Hear what advice these librarians have to share!
Click to Watch the Video.
https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2020/05/07/puzzles/#.Xt7QMUVKiUn
https://www.alastore.ala.org/sites/default/files/StayWellStayInspired.pdf
There's no shortage of excellent anti-racist reading lists that have circulated in recent days as the nation has been convulsed by mass demonstrations and protests against police brutality following the death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis. We are going to add our own to the mix, with recommendations by PW editors for recent nonfiction books about some of the many issues at play, whether that's police brutality, institutional racism, activism, or what it's like to be black in America today.
This is, of course, a far from incomplete accounting of the many worthy books on these topics.
Being Black in America
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates (Random/Spiegel & Grau)
"As a meditation on race in America, haunted by the bodies of black men, women, and children, Coates's compelling, indeed stunning, work is rare in its power to make you want to slow down and read every word."
Negroland: A Memoir by Margo Jefferson (Pantheon)
"Perceptive, specific, and powerful, Jefferson's work balances themes of race, class, entitlement, and privilege with her own social and cultural awakening."
No Ashes in the Fire: Coming of Age Black & Free in America by Darnell L. Moore (Nation)
"Moore’s well-crafted book is a stunning tribute to affirmation, forgiveness, and healing—and serves as an invigorating emotional tonic."
On the Other Side of Freedom: The Case for Hope by DeRay Mckesson (Viking)
"[A]ctivist and podcaster Mckesson reflects on what he’s learned from protest, family upheaval, racial inequality, homophobia, community organizing, abuse, and love."
What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Blacker: A Memoir in Essays by Damon Young (Ecco)
“Young uses pop culture references and personal stories to look at a life molded by structural racism, the joy of having a family that holds together in a crisis, and the thrill of succeeding against difficult odds.”
Civil Rights Activism
A More Beautiful and Terrible History: The Uses and Misuses of Civil Rights History by Jeanne Theoharis (Beacon)
"Theoharis’s lucid and insightful study ...[offers] a deeper and more nuanced understanding of the civil rights movement’s legacy, and [shows] how much remains to be done."
How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi (One World)
"Kendi follows his National Book Award–winning Stamped from the Beginning with a boldly articulated, historically informed explanation of what exactly racist ideas and thinking are, and what their antiracist antithesis looks like both systemically and at the level of individual action."
They Can’t Kill Us All: Ferguson, Baltimore, and a New Era in America’s Racial Justice Movement by Wesley Lowery (Little, Brown)
"Digging beneath the news headlines of police killings and protests, Lowery’s timely work gives texture and context to a new era of African-American activism."
When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir by Patrisse Khan-Cullors and Asha Bandele (St. Martin's)
"This is an eye-opening and eloquent coming-of-age story from one of the leaders in the new generation of social activists."
Institutional Racism and Police Brutality
The Black and the Blue: A Cop Reveals the Crimes, Racism, and Injustice in America’s Law Enforcement by Matthew Horace and Ron Harris (Hachette)
"Horace, a former agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and a CNN analyst, explores the 'implicit bias' and overt racism that makes black people the targets of profiling, harassment, beatings, and unjustified gunfire from cops."
Blood at the Root: A Racial Cleansing in America by Patrick Phillips (Norton)
"This is a gripping, timely, and important examination of American racism, and Phillips tells it with rare clarity and power."
The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein (Liveright)
"Rothstein’s comprehensive and engrossing book reveals just how the U.S. arrived at the 'systematic racial segregation we find in metropolitan areas today,' focusing in particular on the role of government."
Driving While Black: African American Travel and the Road to Civil Rights by Gretchen Sorin (Liveright)
"Lucidly written and generously illustrated with photos and artifacts, this rigorous and entertaining history deserves a wide readership."
Five Days: The Fiery Reckoning of an American City by Wes Moore, with Erica L. Green (One World)
"Moore provides important context in the history of Baltimore’s racial and income inequality and the emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement. Readers will be enthralled by this propulsive account."
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson (Random/Spiegel & Grau)
“Stevenson, a professor of law at New York University and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, a legal firm providing services for the wrongly condemned, describes in his memoir how he got the call to represent this largely neglected clientele in our justice system.”
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander (New Press)
"Legal scholar Alexander argues vigorously and persuasively that '[w]e have not ended racial caste in America; we have merely redesigned it.' ”
Open Season: The Legalized Genocide of Colored People by Ben Crump (Amistad)
"Civil rights attorney Crump, who has represented the families of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown, delivers a forceful debut exposé of America’s 'legalized system of discrimination.'”
White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin Diangelo (Beacon)
“This slim book is impressive in its scope and complexity; Diangelo provides a powerful lens for examining, and practical tools for grappling with, racism today.”
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/tip-sheet/article/83485-an-anti-racist-reading-list.html
https://action.alz.org/PersonifyEbusiness/Default.aspx?TabID=1357&productid=69717593&_ga=2.164819455.1991245800.1587061189-325887764.1584646532
https://www.laphamsquarterly.org/roundtable/viral-news
Free Educational Apps, Games, and WebsitesTop Time-Management Apps
tips for taking in rapidly changing news
meditation apps for kids and families
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/hope-resilience/202003/how-talk-your-kids-about-covid-19
https://www.bookbyte.com/blog/productivity-tips-for-studying-from-home-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic?
utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=studyFromHomeTipsMAR2020
https://archive.org/details/nationalemergencylibrary
https://12bdea39-3149-40e1-5bcf-fbe26c4bed5b.filesusr.com/ugd/c18080_9b6fba0adf164ba4824496a1c9f1523a.pdf
https://www.maginationpressfamily.org/
https://www.dk.com/us/information/stay-home-hub/
https://www.mackin.com/hq/distance-learning-essentials/
https://starbrightbooks.com/blog/free-digital-access/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0MpwxxTbrBOz1g1X-BynUA
https://holidayhouse.com/holiday-house-resources/
Keep your child reading, learning and having fun with Simon Kids!
This is a one-stop shop for all of our great resources for parents and educators as you navigate distance learning at home.
JOIN US ON SOCIAL @SIMONKIDS
Snack & Read Live with Simon Kids
Live read-alouds and activities around bestselling and award-winning books Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 2 PM EST.
Read & Learn with Simon Kids on YouTube
A brand-new video initiative full of storytimes, sing-alongs, writing prompts and other activity videos with Simon & Schuster authors.
Simon Kids Pinterest
Downloadable activities for children, craft ideas inspired by books for young readers, reading recommendations and more.
DOWNLOADABLE RESOURCES
Activity Sheets
Coloring pages, connect the dots and other downloadable activities and crafts for kids of all ages.
Reading Group Guides
Discussion questions and activities for reading books together.
Curriculum Guides
Teaching guides developed by educators and librarians aligned to the Common Core.
MORE RESOURCES FOR PARENTS & EDUCATORS
Browse Books by Reading Level
Find the right book for your reader — browse our titles by their Lexile® or Fountas & Pinnell™ levels.
The Book Pantry
Book recommendations and resources for educators and librarians pulled together by Simon & Schuster’s Education and Library Marketing Team.
Ready-to-Read
Activities, arts and crafts, and parent and educator guides for Ready-to-Read leveled readers.
Graphic Novels
A comprehensive guide about how to use Graphic Novels to foster a love of reading at home or in the classroom.
In The Middle Books
Discover fun, fantastic reads for kids in grades two through eight.
Riveted by Simon Teen
Teens can find reading recommendations, fun articles, extended excerpts, tons of quizzes and full books they can read for FREE on site.
Themed Collections
Browse bestselling and award-winning books by topic.
Many free online educational resources are available to support student learning. This includes otherwise paid resources which have been available at no cost during the COVID-19 pandemic.
While Explore More Illinois is suspended, virtual options for culture, education, and entertainment are available from your home. Check out these online performances:
- Manual Cinema is an Emmy Award-winning performance collective and production company that specializes in mixed media storytelling. For the first time ever, Manual Cinema will be streaming two of their productions, Ada/Ava and The Magic City, online through April 19. Families may also download an education packet from their website to accompany the performances and dive deeper into the stories together.
- The Metropolitan Opera will live stream an opera each evening at 6:30 p.m. The recording will stay on their homepage for 20 hours.
Below is a list of some notable resources:
- Beanstalk: Educational materials focused on pre-school aged youth. Free to join during COVID-19 pandemic.
- Britannica Digital Learning: Get free access to Britannica LaunchPacks, for social studies and science, being leveraged by schools across the world who are grappling with shutdowns, conducting virtual lessons, and working to minimize the impact on students, families, and staff.
- Gale Resources to Support Libraries and Educators Impacted by COVID-19: A hub that includes free access to interdisciplinary, curriculum-aligned resources to support online learning from pre-K through undergraduate, as well as ways to optimize your existing resources.
- Mathspace: adaptive math program for grades 3-12 that gives students feedback at every step of their work. Also includes full etextbook aligned to state and common core standards and instructional videos and reporting tools. Any school that has closed during the COVID-19 pandemic is eligible for free access.
- NASA STEM Engagement: A variety of STEM-related videos, homework help, and games from NASA.
- PBS Learning Media: Curated collection of free, standards-aligned videos, interactives, lesson plans and more for Illinois teachers.
- Scholastic Teachables: This resource for PreK – 6th Grade offers printable activities for any subject: math, science, reading comprehension, STEM, writing, and beyond. Download printable lesson plans, reading passages, games and puzzles, clip art, bulletin board ideas, teacher supports, and skills sheets. Over 25,000 teacher created, vetted printables to support your instruction.
- User ID: schteachables46
- Password: blue
- ScienceBuddies: Science Buddies offers thousands of free resources for learning STEM, including a collection of 160+ fun, hands-on STEM activities and videos. Each of our K-12 activities covers a specific STEM concept, can be done in an hour or less, and can usually be done with materials easily found at home.
- SpellingCity: Efficient game-based study of literacy skills using any word list. Currently free with code "VSCFree90".
- Tumblebooks: A collection of animated talking picture books, read-alongs, ebooks, quizzes, lesson plans, and educational games.
- Public libraries across North America can email info@tumblebooks.com with subject line Free TumbleBooks in order to receive free links to all three TumbleBook databases so they can be shared and accessed by their patrons from their home
- World Book: World Book databases are free through April 30, as well as online learning support for parents, teachers and caregivers. You will need to fill out an online form to access the databases. Wizard, an adaptive learning resource for math, science, social studies, and language arts, is included with the databases.
Common Sense Launches New Online Resource
Today we're launching a brand-new, free online resource to support families and educators who are transitioning to remote learning as a result of the coronavirus: Wide Open School. Why? There are so many online resources to support kids' educational, emotional, and physical development that Common Sense editors are noticing yet another challenge for parents and educators: How can you find high-quality resources quickly, easily, and in one place?
Curated and coordinated by the experts at Common Sense, Wide Open School is the result of a collaboration among leading publishers, nonprofits, and education and technology companies. Wide Open School features a free collection of the best learning experiences and activities for kids, organized by grade band and subject. You will also find daily schedules with creative breaks and recommendations to keep kids engaged and exploring, one day (or one hour) at a time.
We know that Wide Open School can only fulfill its mission if all kids and families can access it; Common Sense is committed to ensuring connectivity now. And, as always, we will continue to offer guidance and support as you navigate privacy and safety in all you do online.
We, along with our partners, are proud to bring you this new offering to support kids during this critical period. Please visit Wide Open School to take advantage of the best resources available for kids right now.
Go to Wide Open School
Starting 3/18/20, LibraryThing.com, both on the web and using our cataloging app, are free to all, to add as many books as you want. And, no, we’re not going to add ads. (We will keep showing a few Google ads to visitors, but they vanish as soon as you become a member.)
- Sign Up
- The LibraryThing app for iOS and Android
- More about LT2
- Our YouTube channel, with demos and such
At any time you may visit https://extension.illinois.edu/global/digital-webinars-and-training for the most current listing of webinars.
Energy and Environment Recorded Webinars
- Illinois Extension Horticulture YouTube channel
- Local Government Education archives
- Local Foods Small Farms YouTube channel
- Get Growing: Beyond Dirt (Recorded 4/2/20) Illinois Extension
- Caregiver Self-Care (Recorded 4/2/20) Illinois Extension
- Outlook and Farm Policy Moving Forward, farmdoc
- Global Transportation and Cash Flow Considerations, farmdoc
- Financial Perspectives on Agriculture and Coronavirus, farmdoc
- Virology of the Coronavirus Pandemic and its Impact on the Economy and Agriculture, farmdoc
- Coronavirus Impact on Ag Markets, Planting Decisions, and Agricultural Policy, farmdoc
- Your Personal Finances in a Time of Uncertainty ACE (Recording to come)
- Building Your Resilience: How High Do You Bounce, Illinois Extension
- The Economic Impact of Coronavirus. U of I Gies College of Business
- Where Do We Go From Here, ACE, University of Illinois Agricultural and Consumer Economics
How to Keep Kids Learning When You're All Stuck at Home
Quick tips
Manage your expectations. Your kids will not be learning at the same pace or breadth as a usual school day. Figure two to three hours a day to start. Don't stress too much about this.
Make time for breaks and fun. All of us are anxious as we manage this new reality, so take any opportunity to relax and laugh together. It will make the hard stuff easier.
Set a schedule. Get everyone on the same page so you don't have to nag. Routines can be comforting for everyone.
Review schools' plans. In some cases, schools will have a very specific education plan during closures. Use their instructions as a guide for setting up your schedule.
Morning
Math. About 30 minutes.
Watch a Khan Academy lesson and practice. If your math skills aren't what they used to be, visit Khan Academy's FAQ for tips on how to help your kid with math or get them started on self-directed learning. Here is their Quick Start Guide if you're ready to jump in.
Other math resources:
Reading. 30-60 minutes.
If your kid has a book they're reading in English class, make some progress on that. If not, choose one for fun. If you can't leave the house, Libby connects you to your local library. Punch in your library card number and you have access to a wide range of ebooks kids can access on their Kindle, tablet, or computer.
Other reading apps:
- Marvel Hero Tales
- Weirdwood Manor
- Middle School Confidential
- Reading Rewards
- Epic! - Kids' Books and Videos
Physical education. 30-60 minutes.
Ideally you can get outside and go for a walk or throw a ball around. But if you're stuck indoors, you can follow along to YouTube exercise videos, set up an obstacle course, do some yoga or stretching, or try jumping jacks.
Just Dance 2020 helps tweens and teens work up a sweat while listening to favorite music (you'll need a game console to play it). It has some mature lyrics, so choose something different if that's a concern. More ideas:
Midday
Connect with friends. 30-60 minutes.
Tweens and teens thrive on social connections, so make sure to keep these going even if you aren't allowing in-person time. If they're already on popular social platforms, this might be the time to re-negotiate any time limits so they can get their social fix virtually.
Houseparty is a group video-chat tool that, when used appropriately, can be a fun way for friends to connect and catch up. Other picks:
Afternoon
Creative time. 90-120 minutes.
Bring out the pens and paper! This can be a nice chunk of time off screens. Whatever your kid is into—piano, papier-mâché, playwriting—this is the perfect opportunity to let loose. Of course, there are lots of ways media and tech can support these interests if you choose.
YouTube has an endless amount of instructional content, including music lessons, DIY creators, painting (gotta love Bob Ross!), and more. Keep younger kids in family spaces so you can make sure they are finding quality content. More choices:
Chores. 15-30 minutes.
Every family has a different way of managing household responsibilities. But if you're finding this to be a particularly challenging time to get your kids to help out, you can try some apps that can help them stay organized and give some incentives.
Brili Routines is a task manager with a simple interface that works well for kids who need a little extra push to complete their daily tasks. Parents set up the tasks and then switch to the kid profile before turning it over. Kids earn rewards and learn to better manage their time. Other options:
Evening
Family time
When kids are stressed, they're going to need even more chances to chill out, so this might be a time to relax rules about entertainment media. And while tweens and teens don't always tell you that they need your support, they do. Watching movies or playing games together can be an easy way to be together in a low-stress way. Here are some ideas.
Jackbox Party Packs are collections of games that groups can play using individual devices (phones, tablets, laptops). You can download the game via providers such as Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Comcast Xfinity X1, and the game network Steam—and then play it from the couch. You can even invite friends and family from afar to join the game while video-chatting. Also try:
- Apps to play with family/friends near and far: Draw Something, Trivia Crack, Words with Friends
- Streaming movies: Netflix: Here are all the best movies streaming right now.
- TV to watch with all ages: Shows that are good for kids of different ages to watch together
- Games that use your tablet as a gameboard: Forbidden Desert, Uno, and Tsuro
Other resources
Helping kids stay focused
If you're concerned that your kid won't be able to stay on task while doing online work, you may need to get some tech help. Here are some options:
- Screen Time (for iOS) and Family Link (for Android): Use these tools in conjunction with your kids' devices to limit what they can do and when.
- Forest: Stay focused, be present
- Bear in Mind App: To Do list, reminders, tasks
- Habitica: Gamified Task Manager
Animals
Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden’s Home Safari Events
Each weekday, starting at 2 p.m. Central time, the Cincinnati Zoo will introduce one of their animals, and include an activity to do at home. Go to Cincinnati Zoo’s Facebook page for the Facebook Live event.
Animal Webcams
Aquarium of the Pacific Webcams
The Aquarium of the Pacific has live images of sharks, sea jellies, fish, and penguins
Monterey Bay Aquarium Webcams
Check in on sea otters, moon jellies, open sea creatures, or a kelp forest.
Houston Zoo Webcams
Watch giraffes, gorillas, elephants, and more
San Diego Zoo Webcams
Live and recorded webcams of pandas, penguins, koalas, and other animals
Virtual Farm Tours
Take a tour of real farms and see what they’re like
Arts and Crafts
Creativebug
Creativebug.com has more than 1,000 award-winning art & craft video classes taught by recognized design experts and artists. DKPL card required.
Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems
Daily drawing session with author Mo Willems every weekday at 12pm Central time.
Educational Resources:
Scholastic Learn at Home
Daily projects to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing. Pre-k and up
Khan Academy
Free resources for ages 4-18, or a free app for ages 2-7. Requires signing up for a free account.
History
Digital Public Library of America
DPLA connects people to the riches held within America’s libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural heritage institutions. All of the materials found through DPLA—photographs, books, maps, news footage, oral histories, personal letters, museum objects, artwork, government documents, and so much more—are free and immediately available in digital format. The cultural institutions participating in DPLA represent the richness and diversity of America itself, from the smallest local history museum to our nation’s largest cultural institutions.
Illinois Digital Archives
The Illinois Digital Archives is a repository for the digital collections of the Illinois State Library as well as other libraries and cultural institutions in the State of Illinois. It contains historical photographs, slides, glass negatives, oral histories, manuscripts, letters, federal government documents, postcards, posters, videos, newspapers, and maps.
Newspapers.com
Newspapers.com is the largest online newspaper archive consisting of 514 million+ pages of historical newspapers from 12,100+ newspapers from around the United States and beyond. Newspapers provide a unique view of the past and can help us understand and connect with the people, events and attitudes of an earlier time. DKPL card required.
Language Learning
Mango Languages
Reach conversational proficiency in 72 languages, including English as a Second Language, good for tourists or beginners. Free app for iOS and Android available. DKPL card required.
Music
Weekday Live Streams with Mr. Jon & Friends
Mr. Jon & Friends will be hosting weekday live streams of music and movement for kids at 9:30 a.m. Central time each day. Watch live, and then come back to re-watch alter as often as you’d like. The live stream events run from Monday, March 16th to Friday, March 27th. You can find all the info on their Facebook page.
The Kennedy Center Digital Stage
Archive of the nation’s busiest performing arts center.
Metropolitan Opera Nightly Met Opera Streams
Daily series of free streaming opera presentations, available to stream from 6:30 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. the next day.
Reading and Storytimes:
The Dance: A Story of Love, Faith, and Survival
Joan Aubelel will be rescheduling her visit to the library for sometime in late spring or summer. In the meantime, thank you to Joan for making her memoir available to the public!
The Lucky Trikes Storytimes From a Short Distance
Nightly live-streamed storytimes on Facebook Live at 8 p.m. Central Time
Story time with author Mac Barnett
Children’s author Mac Barnett will be reading one of his books out loud, on Instagram Live, every weekday at 2 p.m. Central time until he runs out of books to read.
Stories with author Oliver Jeffers
Artist Oliver Jeffers will be reading one of his books and talking about being a writer every weekday, at 1 p.m. Central time.
Virtual Field Trips
Access Mars
Check out a 360 degree tour of Mars from the Mars Rover
Air Pano
Air Pano is a group of Russian photographers that takes 360 degree photos and videos of important places around the world. Many beautiful places are available to explore.
Discovery Education Virtual Field Trips
STEM field trips to the Johnson Space Center, arctic tundra, and more
The Louvre–Paris
Virtual tours of some of the historic museum’s most famous collections
National Museum of Anthropology–Mexico City
Collections related to the archaeology and history of Mexico’s pre-Hispanic civilizations.
National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art–South Korea
Modern Korean art and design.
The Vatican–Rome
Tour one of the world’s most beautiful buildings.
Yellowstone National Park
Watch live footage of the Mud Volcano, Fountain Paint Pot, and more
Publishers Weekly Makes Resources Free
We will make the digital magazine available to everyone regardless of whether you subscribe starting with the current issue (March 16, 2020).
Everyone can now access the digital edition of PW from www.digitalpw.com or from the PW app on iOS and Android.
Additionally, articles, past bestsellers lists and the reviews database, which includes a search feature and the reviews listed by genre, will be made available to all.
It's Time To Get Serious About Social Distancing. Here's How
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/03/17/817251610/its-time-to-get-serious-about-social-distancing-here-s-how?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews
Want to access the library’s catalog from your mobile device? You can with the new RSAcat Mobile app! It available for both Android and Apple devices. The RSAcat Mobile app means accessing our catalog is more convenient than ever. Head to the Apple or Google Play Stores, install the free app, and log in with your library card and PIN. (Don't know your PIN? Contact us at 742-2431 and we'll reset it for you!)
The much improved app makes it easy to manage your account, search the catalog, renew checkouts, and place holds. You can also scan the ISBN barcode on the back of a book to see if we have a copy, receive notifications for holds or fees, or search for nearby libraries. The RSAcat Mobile app also features improved accessibility for VoiceOver and larger text sizes.
Brand new features include the ability to link multiple accounts and manage them from the app, so that a parent can link their children’s accounts. Patrons can now also pay fines or bills directly from the app.
Given the unknown, but increasingly problematic, status of the (Wuhan/China) coronavirus, here is a link from the CDC.
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/
Dreams Take Flight at Your Local Library portrays children discovering the library and all it has to offer and it features the library's important role in STEM education. Please click the link to see the video on You Tube. https://youtu.be/FaSwEQ5-5T0
Storyline Online is a program of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation. The Foundation is a nonprofit organization that relies entirely on gifts, grants and donations to fund Storyline Online and produce all of its videos.
Hula Hoopin Queen was selected by the Screen Actors Guild Foundation for its latest read aloud on Storyline Online, an interactive literacy website where well-known actors read popular, award-winning children’s books to help students fall in love with reading. In this video, media maven Oprah Winfrey reads our picture book The Hula-Hoopin’ Queen by Thelma Godin and illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton, a charming celebration of family and community ties.
www.storylineonline.net/books/hula-hoopin-queen/
Other Lee & Low titles on Storyline Online include Rent Party Jazz read by Viola Davis, Catching the Moon read by Kevin Costner and Jillian Estell and As Fast As Words Could Fly read by Dulé Hill!
For the Storyline Online Book Collection, click here.
Elmwood's Historical Society was recently part of an interview by Tim Shelby of WCBU radio. You may listen to the interview at https://www.peoriapublicradio.org/post/sculptor-lorado-tafts-legacy-undergoing-quiet-restoration-his-hometown#stream/0
Please check out our two Little Free Libraries. One is located in Central Park near the bench on the NW corner of the park. The other is near the front door of the elementary school (books are not kept in this library during the summer). Please stop by to take a book, leave a book!!
Little Free Libraries a “take a book, return a book” gathering place where neighbors share their favorite literature and stories. In its most basic form, a Little Free Library is a box full of books where anyone may stop by and pick up a book (or two) and bring back another book to share. You can, too! The library will soon have two Little Free Libraries around town. The first Free Little Library was in Hudson WI in 2010. By 2014 there were around 15,000 around the world! Elmwood has become part of this great movement to promote literacy and encourage community. We are so proud to bring this great idea to Elmwood!
The Morrison & Mary Wiley Library is not supported by tax money. A library card is free to Elmwood Township residents due to the generosity of the Morrison & Mary Wiley family. Rosefield Township pays for their residents to have a library card at our library. To register for a card, please bring a photo ID & one other form of identification with your home address (Ameren bill, water bill, etc.). The library issues family cards, so parents must register for the card. Please call 742-2431 with any questions.
The library has the following magazines for patrons to check out:
Birds & Bloom Martha Stewart Living
Country Midwest Living
Country Living People
Country Woman The Pioneer Woman
Cricket Prevention
Family Circle Real Simple
Fine Gardening Reminisce
Good Housekeeping Taste of Home
Good Old Days This Old House
HGTV US Weekly
Jack & Jill Woman’s Day
